Heretofore, the most common method of cooling objects such as automobiles is by use of power-driven air conditioners which utilize a substantial amount of energy. While air conditioners for automobiles work satisfactorily after the automobile has been running for a period of time, they have the inherent disadvantage of requiring a given period of time before they can effectively cool the interior of the vehicle. Frequently when a vehicle has been standing in the sun, the temperature depending on the exterior temperature will rise to extreme heights making it very uncomfortable to the driver of a vehicle for at least several minutes. As a result, when the vehicle is being used for short trips, the effectiveness of the air conditioner is substantially reduced.
While the windows of the vehicle can be rolled down to reduce the extreme heat of the air in the vehicle, it still requires a substantial period of time for the seats, dashboard, steering wheel, etc. to be reduced in temperature to a comfortable level.
Attempts have been made to provide sun shields for vehicles which can be stored on a roller within a cylindrical container for being drawn out through a slit and pulled over the automobile. One particular sun shield is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,053. In that particular patent, the sun shield includes a screen that has a reflective coating on the exterior thereof for reflecting the sun's rays.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,697, 3,050,075, and 1,999,171 there are disclosed portable collapsible covers that can be readily extended over vehicles for protecting the vehicle from the elements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,201,984, there is disclosed a heated automobile blanket which can be draped over the entire vehicle. A heater is positoned adjacent one end of the material so that heated air can flow through spaces provided in the blanket for maintaining the vehicle heated.